Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 25

Re-Kyung Group.

One of the top five conglomerates in South Korea, with a strong presence in IT and electronics.

A major corporation that had built an unshakable position based on the strong leadership of Chairman Hwang Jung-hoo, known as a legend in the business world.

Re-Kyung Group was called an impregnable fortress. It was even said that it was only a matter of time before it would establish itself as the representative company of South Korea.

Re-Kyung Group, which was certain to surpass South Korea and dominate the world, had its wings clipped when the seemingly invincible Hwang Jung-hoo proved that he was just a man after all.

When Chairman Hwang Jung-hoo collapsed due to illness, the Re-Kyung Group, which had been called an impregnable fortress, began to leak from all sides. The group, which had seemed so solid, slowly began to fracture, and Chairman Hwang’s three sons fought each other for control, tearing each other apart.

The impregnable fortress of Re-Kyung was only possible with Hwang Jung-hoo at its helm.

Therefore, Hwang Jung-hoo’s absence was a fatal blow to the Re-Kyung Group that could not be prevented by any means.

The Re-Kyung Group without Hwang Jung-hoo was no longer an object of fear or envy. It was just a large, disorganized mob.

To protect the collapsing kingdom, the three sons were desperate to hide Hwang Jung-hoo’s condition. Eventually, Hwang Jung-hoo was virtually confined to his hospital room. Although they could not completely avoid the eyes of the media and the public, they thought it was better than revealing the truth.

Therefore, Chairman Hwang Jung-hoo’s hospital room was guarded under tight security.

The hospital room, which had been converted into a VVIP suite, was reinforced with private funds to enhance security, and two security guards were stationed to thoroughly prevent any outside intrusion.

“Haa……”

Security guard Jo Gyu-min, who was guarding the hospital room, sighed lightly. He could see the pure white hospital corridor in his eyes.

It was a sight he had been seeing for a year now.

For a year, he had been guarding Chairman Hwang Jung-hoo’s hospital room, rotating day and night.

At first, he had a sense of pride in guarding the chairman’s hospital room, but after repeating the same thing for over a year, it had become a terribly boring job.

‘How long do I have to keep doing this?’

In fact, Jo Gyu-min was not affiliated with a security company.

Hwang Jung-hoo’s condition was one of the most important issues for the Re-Kyung Group.

They could not entrust such important information to a private security company.

Jo Gyu-min, who was currently guarding this position, was once a promising talent in the secretary’s office.

Jo Gyu-min was a trusted aide of Hwang Min-jae, and it was a given that he would be promoted to Hwang Min-jae’s first secretary if there were no major issues.

However, when Hwang Jung-hoo collapsed, Jo Gyu-min’s life changed completely.

Blocking access to Hwang Jung-hoo and monitoring his condition was the most important task that could change the landscape of the Re-Kyung Group. Therefore, Hwang Min-jae, the eldest son of Hwang Jung-hoo, entrusted the task to his confidant, Jo Gyu-min.

He was told that if he did a good job, he could become the chairman’s secretary, not just the president’s secretary, in the future.

When he first heard that, Jo Gyu-min was thrilled with the important task he had been given. Although there was a risk, it was a job that guaranteed him a director’s position in the future if he could do well.

Kim Seung-hwan, who was guarding the hospital room next to him, must have come here with the same thought. The only difference was that Jo Gyu-min was under the orders of Hwang Min-jae, while Kim Seung-hwan was under the orders of the second son, Hwang Min-soo.

When they first took on this mission, they didn’t even talk to each other.

Although they were assigned the same mission and guarded the same place, they were enemies looking in different directions.

But now, after a year, the situation had changed.

“What time is it?”

“It’s only six in the morning. There’s still a long way to go before the shift change.”

“Is that all?”

When they first came here, they were considered to be on a fairly important mission.

However, as time passed, the situation gradually changed.

Hwang Jung-hoo, whom they believed would recover somehow, showed no improvement, and those who had accepted reality gradually turned their eyes away from Hwang Jung-hoo.

As a result, they, who were guarding Hwang Jung-hoo, were also gradually moving away from people’s attention.

The reporting line, which was initially directly connected to the president level, gradually went down, and now it had become just a routine event that had to be done to a department head. The mission that they thought was an opportunity to change their lives was now dragging their lives into the mud.

Jo Gyu-min knew that his current situation was not good. The job he used to do would have been taken by someone else by now, and it was difficult to expect that he would be given a proper job if he returned without any achievements.

His lifeline, Hwang Min-jae, also seemed to have lost interest in him. Above all, if the Re-Kyung Group were to be divided into three, there would be a large-scale personnel reshuffle, and there was no guarantee that he, who had no work on paper, would be safe from the vortex of that reshuffle.

“Did you hear the news?”

“What news?”

“About the upcoming personnel reshuffle.”

At Kim Seung-hwan’s words, Jo Gyu-min clicked his tongue.

Kim Seung-hwan’s situation was no different.

“Yeah, I heard about it.”

“I called the head of personnel.”

“You did?”

“He’s my senior.”

Jo Gyu-min glanced at Kim Seung-hwan’s face. If the head of personnel was his senior, then his situation was better than his. However, Kim Seung-hwan’s face was not bright either.

“He said he doesn’t know either.”

“That’s the worst.”

Jo Gyu-min clicked his tongue.

He doesn’t know….

There’s no way he doesn’t know. It’s not that he doesn’t know, it’s that he has nothing to say.

In the end, it meant that their positions would be gone.

“We shouldn’t have come here in the first place.”

“Who knew the chairman would be lying down for so long?”

“Yeah.”

They had a bitter taste in their mouths.

A strange sense of camaraderie flowed between them. They came here because they were competent, and they were given an opportunity because they were trusted.

And thanks to that, they were about to be abandoned.

It was a truly ironic situation.

What was even more frustrating was that there was nothing they could do even though they knew all the circumstances.

‘This is driving me crazy.’

Jo Gyu-min adjusted his sunglasses. Drrrrk.

At that moment, the door opened. Jo Gyu-min turned his head and looked at the person who came out.

“Where are you going?”

The person who came out was the caregiver who was in charge of Chairman Hwang Jung-hoo’s care. They had been seeing each other for over a year, so they were at a stage where they could be considered quite close.

The caregiver, who would normally greet them with a cheerful smile, had a stiff face today.

Was she sick?

“Um…” I think you two should come in…

“What’s wrong?”

“Anyway, just come in, both of you.”

Jo Gyu-min’s brow furrowed.

“Let’s go in.”

Kim Seung-hwan went inside without hesitation, and Jo Gyu-min followed him. Drrrrk.

The sound of the door locking could be heard.

Jo Gyu-min and Kim Seung-hwan passed through the triple security door and went inside.

“Huh?”

A gasp escaped from Kim Seung-hwan’s mouth.

“Auntie, where is the chairman?”

The bed where Hwang Jung-hoo should have been lying was empty. Kim Seung-hwan was shocked and tried to look at the caregiver.

“There’s no need to make a fuss.”

At that moment, an old, hoarse voice was heard from beside them.

Jo Gyu-min and Kim Seung-hwan’s eyes widened as they looked at the owner of the voice. Their mouths were agape in surprise.

Hwang Jung-hoo.

He was sitting on the sofa for guardians.

“Ch, Chairman!”

He was the same person who was lying in bed last night, unable to move even a finger.

How could he be sitting on the sofa and talking?

Jo Gyu-min looked into Hwang Jung-hoo’s eyes. His eyes, which had been unfocused until yesterday, were now firm and unwavering as he stared at him.

“You’re Jo Gyu-min, right?”

Jo Gyu-min was so surprised that he couldn’t even answer. Hwang Jung-hoo lightly curled up the corners of his mouth as if he found Jo Gyu-min’s reaction amusing.

“Do you have a cigarette?”

“Huh? Ah! Yes! Chairman! I do!”

Jo Gyu-min reached into his pocket and took out a pack of cigarettes, handing it to Chairman Hwang Jung-hoo.

Hwang Jung-hoo took the cigarette and turned his head.

“Stop there.”

Kim Seung-hwan’s body, who was stopped by Hwang Jung-hoo, froze like a stone.

“Take your hand out.”

Kim Seung-hwan awkwardly took his hand out.

Judging by the situation, it seemed that he had tried to contact someone with the cell phone in his pocket.

“Fire.”

Jo Gyu-min swallowed hard.

He had been flustered and handed over the cigarette, but when he thought about it, Chairman Hwang Jung-hoo was a patient who had just gotten out of bed. Was it really the right thing to give a cigarette to such a patient?

“Um…” Chairman. The cigarette…

Hwang Jung-hoo turned his head and looked at Jo Gyu-min.

“Fire.”

It was strange.

He didn’t yell, nor was he angry. He just calmly repeated the word, but to Jo Gyu-min, it sounded like a direct order.

It felt like it was impossible to dare to disobey this man’s command.

Jo Gyu-min swallowed hard and took out a lighter, lighting the cigarette that Hwang Jung-hoo had in his mouth.

After confirming that the cigarette was lit, Jo Gyu-min stepped back and stood still, waiting for Hwang Jung-hoo’s reaction. That was all he could do. Once they had entered this room, they could only wait for Hwang Jung-hoo’s reaction.

Hwang Jung-hoo slightly frowned as if the cigarette he was smoking after a long time was too strong. Gray cigarette smoke slowly billowed into the air.

Jo Gyu-min brought the ashtray that was placed in the corner to Hwang Jung-hoo’s front. Hwang Jung-hoo quietly watched Jo Gyu-min’s actions and opened his mouth in a clear voice.

“Are you the one that the eldest sent?”

“Huh?”

Jo Gyu-min was startled and asked back.

How did Chairman Hwang Jung-hoo know that?

“There’s no need to be surprised. Just because I was lying down doesn’t mean I was a corpse who couldn’t hear anything. I could easily hear the conversations you guys were having.”

“……”

Jo Gyu-min’s face turned pale. It had been a year.

Although he had spent most of his time in front of the door, he had also spent a considerable amount of time inside the chairman’s hospital room over the course of a year.

And during that time, Jo Gyu-min and Kim Seung-hwan had had quite a few conversations. Hwang Jung-hoo had been listening to all of those conversations.

Then?

‘Baek Young-gi!’

Director Baek Young-gi flashed through Jo Gyu-min’s mind.

Baek Young-gi, who was so steadfast that he was almost foolish, had come to Hwang Jung-hoo to report on the company’s situation.

If so, it meant that Hwang Jung-hoo had been listening to all of Baek Young-gi’s reports.

The information that Baek Young-gi had obtained while in the position of director was by no means small. It meant that Hwang Jung-hoo knew everything about how his three sons had been seeking power.

‘This is the end.’

He had to contact someone.

He had to run out now and contact President Hwang Min-jae….

“I can hear you scheming.”

“……”

Hwang Jung-hoo said with a sneer.

“Who do you think I am?”

The power of those words made Jo Gyu-min’s mind go blank.

That’s right.

The man in front of him was none other than Hwang Jung-hoo.

The iron man of the business world, an entrepreneur who would go down in South Korean history.

The iron man of the business world, who had built the Re-Kyung Group from the ground up, had finally awakened.